Car Hire Advice

kluivert

Booked a car with Europacar for a long weekend, pick up in Gatwick Airport.

Booked Intermediate Size Car for the family - VX Vectra LS or similiar.

As I have never hired a car before when on holidays, what advice or what do I need to watch out for.

I have been reading loads and loads of horror stories on the reviewcentre website.

I thought it was the hire company, but its the same for Hertz, Avis etc.

Cookie_Monster

check the fuel and (any) damage matches the documentation so you are not hit for it.

Prepare for that "similar" to be disappointing

make sure you return with as much fuel as you left with (asually a full tank) otherwise they'll charge you over the odds to re-fill it.

Seth Brundle

I would thoroughly photograph the car before driving away from the hire centre.
Point out any defects before you drive as you may be liable for them afterwards!

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

make sure you return with as much fuel as you left with (asually a full tank) otherwise they'll charge you over the odds to re-fill it.

Not so hasty - check that this is required first...
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2010/0709/1224274348069.html

Gavman84

Hi
Make sure that you have a valid credit card with you when you go to pick the car up first. If you dont have one they wont give you the car. Also there will be an excess on the insurace of the car which is a large amount you must pay if you damage the car while you have it.
As said make sure all marks on it when you get it are on inspection sheet. An idea is tho for peace of mind to take full insurance for peace of mind i always do so you dont have to worry about them charging you 500 for a scratch etc then!
Also remember damaged tyres,mis-fuelling and lost keys are not covered by any insurance so you do any of those you will be charged regardless. I worked in car hire for a few years so any questions just ask!
Gav

R.O.R

All good advice above.

You'll probably be offered various add-ons at the counter. Excess waiver insurance is normally one. Usually about £10 a day I think and waives the excess.

They offer that you can pay for a full tank and bring it back empty. If you are going to be in a rush coming back, and using most of a tank of fuel then it might be an idea.

Make sure you have a valid credit card, and your licence with you. If you have a licence that comes in 2 parts, make sure you have both parts (uk licences are like that now).

I don't know if Europcar have anything similar, but I have a Hertz Gold Card and an Avis Wizard card, which have all my details already attached to them. When I book hires against either of them all I do is put in my number and all the paperwork is prepared when I get there. Just need to show my licence and collect the keys. Last time I rented without these it took bloody ages, and that's one of the last things you want after getting off a flight.

VanhireBoys

Take your time going up to the desk... Be pleasant ..Best cars are usually held back... I worked with Hertz before and its not unheard of to put a Mercedes or BM out for the price of a Fiesta....! If I got a good impression of sombody they usually got rewarded.. Any twat that gave cheek or had sunglasses or thought he was cool got the bare minimum....!

You will get the car full of fuel... Leave it back that way.. !

The car will have a collision damage agreement.. Look at this carefully.. if there is damage that is not marked in then go back and make sure that you report it before you drive...!

Dont leave the car back full of used nappys or tampax.. This does not sit well with a valeter.. Keep a bag for your bull and dump it off.. Otherwise we used to charge £70 for the previlage of leaving the car back like a skip.. Remember we have your credit card details....

As said credit card and licence ....!

Max Power1

VanhireBoys wrote: »

Take your time going up to the desk... Be pleasant ..Best cars are usually held back... I worked with Hertz before and its not unheard of to put a Mercedes or BM out for the price of a Fiesta....! If I got a good impression of sombody they usually got rewarded.. Any twat that gave cheek or had sunglasses or thought he was cool got the bare minimum....!

You will get the car full of fuel... Leave it back that way.. !

The car will have a collision damage agreement.. Look at this carefully.. if there is damage that is not marked in then go back and make sure that you report it before you drive...!

Dont leave the car back full of used nappys or tampax.. This does not sit well with a valeter.. Keep a bag for your bull and dump it off.. Otherwise we used to charge £70 for the previlage of leaving the car back like a skip.. Remember we have your credit card details....

As said credit card and licence ....!

While I agree with most of the above details, the bolded statement always riles me. Any unauthorised transactions ever filed against my card would always be charged back. Why anyone would accept a transaction on their card that was not authorised by them,as card holder, is beyond me, and in fact would constitute fraud on behalf of the retailer.

kluivert

I agree with Max Power

I dont like the fact that they can charge you for stuff after the transaction is complete.

Thank you for the advice above.

We are taking the wee man over to his grand parents for the first time so i hop goes off well.

Clive.

Cookie_Monster

Max Power1 wrote: »

While I agree with most of the above details, the bolded statement always riles me. Any unauthorised transactions ever filed against my card would always be charged back. Why anyone would accept a transaction on their card that was not authorised by them,as card holder, is beyond me, and in fact would constitute fraud on behalf of the retailer.

you authorise it when you sign the contract for the car rental. read the small print

r3nu4l

kluivert wrote: »

We are taking the wee man over to his grand parents for the first time so i hop goes off well.

Clive.

Are you bringing your own car seat? If not, then that's an extra cost and you'd want to be sure you get the right sized seat for your child.

If you are unhappy with the car go back and ask for another one. I went with some crowd (Argus?) at DublinAirport once when I flew in from London and they tried to pawn off a 3 year old Daewoo with no remote central locking and manual windows on me. I was pleasant when I went back to the guy on the desk and just said 'Look, I'll be doing a few hundred miles in this thing, do you have anything a bit nicer?' He gave me a brand new Astra with Aircon and a few extras.

I normally go with Avis or Hertz and find them to be fine, although all the extra insurances can add up if you're not careful

Be aware that sometimes you might get a base spec in one model whereas the 'equivalent' car might have a better spec. No harm in asking at the desk 'Do you have one with aircon?' or similar questions just to be sure that you are getting the best for your money.

keithclancy

kluivert wrote: »

I agree with Max Power

I dont like the fact that they can charge you for stuff after the transaction is complete.

Thank you for the advice above.

We are taking the wee man over to his grand parents for the first time so i hop goes off well.

Clive.

That can hold an amount on the card for the period of the rental, you agree to this when you sign the contract. The amount they 'hold' is usually the excess.

You can see this on 'Pending Transactions' with MBNA.

Its disappears a day or so after the rental finishes.

no1beemerfan

I hire a car in England on average once a month.

1) Make sure you have enough space on your card as they will only use a card belonging to the driver. No dad's card etc. - charge put on mine is usually cost of hire and £150 excess.

2) Check the car over and make sure any damage on it is marked on the sheet you are given and make it known if you see damage not marked on the sheet.

3) Tell them you will bring the car back with the tank full. (Hertz charge something like £2 a litre if you don't)

4) Bring a sat nav etc that you will need with you if you can as the extras add up.

5) If you get a puncture GET IT PLUGGED as I was charged £70 when I brought a car back with a very slow puncture (which I'm sure was on the car when I took it)

6) Drive the nuts out of it Enjoy driving!

Seth Brundle

no1beemerfan wrote: »

6) Drive the nuts out of it Enjoy driving!

Best advice so far

keithclancy

kbannon wrote: »

Best advice so far

Especially true if you rent from one of these

http://www.nurburgring.org.uk/carhire.html

Gavman84

Hi
Some more advice that was in paper about this can be found here:http://www.independent.ie/travel/travel-advice/the-a-to-z-of-car-hire-2297225.html
Gav